Justice
by FellEvening
Summary: Despite their many differences, pirates and marines share a common trait between them; and that is ambition, aspiration, the drive and will to succeed. The difference between them is what they aspire toward; the Pirate seeks freedom, the marine, Justice. Herein is the story of a very different Luffy with a very different dream, and familiar faces making unfamiliar choices.
1. Chapter 1

Once, there was a man named Gol. D. Roger, a man of such ambition and power that all acknowledged him as the King of Pirates.

He had conquered all his enemies, seen all there was to see, and claimed all the treasures of the world for his own. But no amount of wealth and power will keep a man alive forever, and the man known as Gold Roger finally met his end in Loguetown, at the hands of the World Government Marines.

Yet though a man may die, a legend lives on forever, and into his legend, Gold Roger breathed the words that began an era. "If you want my treasure, you can have it all. I left everything I own in "That" Place."

With simple words, Gold Roger dealt the world a blow he could not with all of his former power. He created a new era, a new power to rival the Justice of the marines, a siren call of Freedom that would sink into the hearts of the people, and create an age of Pirates.

But there are many to whom Justice still shines bright; an ideal beyond the call of freedom and greed. We call these young hopefuls, who still believe that a just world can be made by human hands; Marines.

* * *

"Aahhh! What a nice nap that was, it looks like I'm saved!" Luffy said, stretching himself out from the barrel and surveying the room, finding three tough looking types and one wimpy one, with pink hair at that. "...Who are you guys anyway?" he asked with open curiosity.

"Who are we!? Who are you!?" He was answered; before the brighter of the three noted the white shirt he wore, sleeves ripped off at the shoulders, not quite high enough to conceal the rank insignia at his chest. His eyes bulged as he shouted out "It's a Mari-" Before the cabin was nearly knocked off the deck by the sudden entrance of a massive spiked iron club that sent timbers snapping and flying.

As they recovered, they heard the familiar question. "What is the most beautiful thing on the sea?" And answered the expected "Of course it's Alvida!" As their captain entered, bulk creaking the deck beneath her feet.

"In that case, why are you disobeying me and slacking off in here? I heard you enjoying your nap from right across the deck!" The enormously obese pirate demanded, the crewmen nervously swallowing, before the brains of the outfit felt something important rise up in his mind, that hopefully would end in his life being spared. "C-Captain! There's something you should know!" He stammered out, Alvida's greasy eyebrow rising in response.

* * *

"Umm... are you okay? You got knocked pretty far just then." The wimpy kid inquired, as Luffy levered himself out from the barrel.

"Ahha, I'm fine. Just surprised a bit. After getting sucked down a whirlpool, that wasn't very scary at all." he said, dusting himself off and standing up straight. "Marine Lieutenant Monkey D. Luffy, at your service." he said cheerily. "Do you know where we are by any chance?"

"Ahh, well, we're on an island claimed by Iron-Club Alvida. My name's Coby, I'm a-wait, what did you say you were?" the pasty kid answered with another question.

"I'm a Luffy."

"No, before that!"

"Monkey. But don't call me that, I'm not a monkey." he explained, as Coby's frustration mounted.

"Noooo! Before that, you said you were in the- That vest, you are a marine!"

"Well yeah, I already said that. Weren't you listening?" Luffy asked, before looking even more confused as Coby fell to his knees, breaking down in tears and gripping Luffy's knees tightly. "...Jeez. You're pretty wimpy and useless huh? I don't like you." Luffy informed him, as Coby looked up, the image of pathetic, before his eyes widened and he scrambled backward as a mass of iron swept treetops aside.

* * *

"So, you finally got word to the marines did you Coby? Well for all the good it did you, they sent only one!" Alvida taunted, lifting her club again. "Even so, I'll forgive you so long as you realize how pointless it is to do such stupid things... and when you tell me who the most beautiful thing on the sea is."

"Aahh... it.. of course it's-" he stammered as he crawled backward against a tree stump.

"...Who's this fat bitch?" Luffy asked bluntly, a pall descending over the impromptu clearing.

"L-luffy, quick, you have to repeat after-" Coby began, before Alvida let out a roar that made it clear that wasn't going to help, and with a bone-crushing blow, brought her hammer down onto Luffy's head, his straw hat bunching, feet digging inch-deep ruts in the ground, before he broke into a grin.

"Ahh, that's not gonna work miss Fat Lady. And now at the least you're guilty of something, which means..." He said, grinning wider.

"Th-that's impossible! My club should have-" She stared, as he drew his fist back.

"I get to do this! Gomu-Gomu no PISTOL! " He shouted, his fist rocketing forward... and extending, carrying the blow through ten feet longer than it would have into Alvida's face, knocking her flat onto her back and out cold. Luffy smirked as his fist retracted, working his fingers slightly and turning to the assembled pirate crew.

"Hey, you guys, I'm rekky- Err, rekwa..." he started, before Coby piped up in the smallest voice he'd ever used.

"Requisitioning?"

"Yeah that! Gimme a boat by order of the marines, or I'll kick your asses and arrest you like fat lady." Luffy noted with a smile, before the pirates began to scramble to obey, and he turned back to the quivering cabin boy.

"Say, you seem kinda smart, and you even know the big word that means stealing when it's okay! You wanna become a marine?" he asked, as Coby stood, stunned, and replied in surprisingly even, though quiet words.

"More than anything in the world."

* * *

Inspired by Aoi24's story "Those Damn Marines." I'll be taking a different route than he did, but he deserves credit for planting the idea in my head and encouraging authors to write for Marine!Luffy.


	2. Chapter 2

A Sword is a Man's romance, a man's soul, a man's Justice.

* * *

"Here it is! And there's the marine base..." Coby said, shielding his eyes from the sun as he climbed up from the tiny boat onto the dock.

"It's pretty cool how you found it so fast. I don't think I'd ever be able to do something like that. Maybe you're not useless." Luffy said, mooring the boat to the dock with a length of heavy rope.

"It's not that impressive, that's just basic navigation. Any marine should be able to do that much..." Coby said, hoping Luffy wouldn't get the tacit implication. He still couldn't figure out how Luffy had managed to become a marine, despite his prodigious strength, he seemed totally ignorant of half the basic regulations that he'd picked up from old manuals and hearsay, let alone how one got lost enough to steer his boat into a whirlpool...

"Ahh you're just doing that wimpy modesty thing. Well, I'm probably supposed to drag this into the brig or something, but I wanna eat first." said Luffy, hauling the struggling and thoroughly trussed up Alvida onto one shoulder as if she were the dainty maiden she pretended to be, and not five hundred pounds of squirming obesity wrapped in thirty pounds of rope and chain. "...I think this lady has eaten enough though. She can stay outside."

* * *

There were more than a few stares as Luffy swiftly cleaned out the entire Restaurant's pantry in one very protracted meal delivered by increasingly worried looking servers, and conversation was difficult between mouthfuls, until Luffy saw what little food remained and began to pace himself... or more realistically, make the meal last even longer.

"So... this is the base that I'll probably be staying with, so I looked at some of the notices they have outside. It seems the commander is named Captain Mor-... gan." Coby began, staring for a moment as everyone in the restaurant abruptly took seats on the far wall. "So, he's not much higher than you then. Why is it that you're all by yourself instead of an officer a base like this?"

"Ehh? Ahh, I had one of those once I think..."

* * *

Recruits ran screaming before a whipping typhoon of elastic limbs, through halls and rooms that were summarily destroyed each in turn.

"Hey, come on! You're not even half done with drills for today! If you've got the energy to run from me you've got the energy to do more PT! You can sleep when you pass out, and enjoy it, because tomorrow is **wilderness training!**" He shouted after them as they redoubled their pace despite their exhaustion.

His laughter echoed through the halls even as the poor, beleaguered building finally gave in to the sweet call of gravity and collapsed in on itself.

* * *

"So that didn't work out too well." Luffy finished, before delivering a mighty belch that nearly blew Coby's hair back, but didn't alter his expression of mixed horror and awe.

"W-well... if it's not a base, then you should at least be an officer on a ship right?" He tried, after a moment.

"Hmm, yeah I did that for a while too..."

* * *

Crew desperately lashed themselves to anything nearby, even as too many simply fell into the crashing white water where the sea king waited, churning the blue into a froth with it's frustrated rage as their captain stood upon it's back, fingertips dug into the ship's keel and lifting it slowly overhead with a familiar enthusiastic laugh that froze men where they clung, when he brought the boat down on the beast's head with an almighty crash that sent men pitching into the brine and knocked the poor creature senseless and reeling.

* * *

"So yeah, after that, it was broken, and I haven't found a new one."

At some point, the frightened restaurant goers had made their way back over and wore expressions that matched Coby's; no longer even aghast, just confused and slightly worried.

"Muaahhh. That was a good snack. Now, let's go see this Morgy-guy about getting you recruited." Luffy suggested, throwing out his marine reimbursement chit at the front desk and walking out with what he, at least, saw as a free meal. "What an interesting place. I think I'll have to eat there again." He noted to himself as he exited.

"Ahh, Luffy. I'm a little bit concerned about that. Is it normal for people to react that way to a marine captain's name?" he asked, before quietly feeling stupid as he recalled everything the lieutenant he was walking down the street with had just said...

* * *

"It's... actually kinda ugly up close." Coby pronounced, looking over the face of the marine base.

"Well, let's not waste time then, time to make you a marine!" Luffy said with a grin, slapping Coby on the back and pushing him forward.

"Ahh, wait, I don't know if I'm ready for this- and that incident at the restaurant got me-"

Luffy kicked the gate down. Not open, down.

"Ehhe, woops. Guess I can fix that later. Now then-ah?" he said, entering and noting the presence of a prisoner lashed to a pair of beams nearby. His mission instantly forgotten, he trotted over and gave him an insistent look until he could no longer ignore it.

"Unnngh... come to taunt me have you? Well go ahead, do your worst. I'm sticking it out with this." He rasped out, far quieter than he probably intended to.

"Ehh? Well if you really want me to I guess I could." He said, before turning, noting the quivering pink haired boy behind him. "What's eating you Coby?"

"L-Luffy. That guy... his headband, the hachimaki, and that look in his eye. He can only be Roronoa Zoro!" He squeaked out, before covering his mouth lest Zoro have heard him. He didn't think well when frightened.

"Ehh? This guy?..." Luffy said, before looking into his eyes appraisingly for several long seconds. "...What's a Zoro?" He finished, sending Coby falling onto his back.

"You... don't know who I am? In that case you're not from this base. Listen, if you untie me and get me out of here, I can make it worth your while. I'll hunt any pirate you like, pro bono. I'll even give you the reward money if you want, I just need-" he began, before stopping mid-sentence as he heard small feet patting over the hot, dry ground, a little girl bearing a small package slinking up.

"Umm... Hello Mr. Marine. The gate was open, so is it okay if I-" She began earnestly. Zoro opened his mouth to tell her off, only to snap it shut as he looked back toward the gate.

"Well, what do we have here?" A sneering voice called as a blond man swaggered near, flanked by a pair of seamen. "It's a little intruder. You there, hurry up and throw her out." He ordered, as Luffy blinked at his sudden appearance.

"Helmeppo. The lieutenant's bastard son." Zoro greeted him, to a scowl from the foppish man.

"Watch your mouth, Zoro. Remember your position if you want to get out of this alive. Now, you, what are you waiting fo-" he started, as Luffy gave him a wide, worrying grin, the rather clogged wheels in Helmeppo's head turning as he reevaluated him; particularly the tattered sigil of rank on his vest. "Aahhh, my mistake!" He said, turning from haughty to fawning in a heartbeat. "I thought you were one of the marines from our base, but I see you're a bit more important than that. You must be here to see Captain Morgan right? He's my father you know, I'll gladly take you to see him. You, you can take care of the girl." He ordered one of the marines, who gulped in hesitation, before Luffy sat his hand atop the little girl's head firmly.

"Don't worry about that kind of thing. This little sister was just bringing me a snack." He said, taking the package from her hands and immediately upending both rice balls into his stretchy mouth and chewing them firmly. She looked heartbroken for a moment and opened her mouth to protest, before Coby clapped a hand over it and shook his head rapidly as he escorted her out.

"Ahh, of course, of course, for a moment I was worried she'd be bringing food to this trash." Helmeppo said, regarding Zoro. "If she'd done a thing like that we'd have to give her the same punishment." he said darkly, before leading the way inside.

"So tell me, why is Zoro here anyways? Is he a bad guy?" Luffy asked as they stepped into the main building.

"Him? Oh yes, a very bad guy. You see, he killed my sweet pet simply because I let it loose for a while to stretch it's legs. Isn't that terrible? Such a boorish fellow he is."

"That's sad. What kind of pet was it? Did he want to eat it or something?"

"Ahh... no. He was a wolf..."

"That's a strange pet. You're a weird guy Helmeppy."

* * *

"So... Zoro. Tell me, why would a pirate hunter become a prisoner of the marines? Especially like this. I didn't say anything before, but, this is against regulations. Not least of all because it's obvious that you could escape if you wanted to..."

Zoro eyed Coby flatly, too exhausted to bother for a minute or so.

"Because..."

* * *

"I am... Great!"

"Yes Captain!" The assembled marines reported on the roof of the base, as was expected of them. "Because you are Captain Morgan!"

Luffy stared at the proceedings, bemused. This guy was a strange one; but then, so was his son.

"Ahh, dad, I brought someone who wanted to see you." Helmeppo said, hands wringing, flylike. "I think he's come from that place, so it's best if you-ahh..." He paled before Morgan's glare, before panicking at the oncoming fist that bowled him backward into Luffy's ankles.

"I've never hit you before because you were never worth hitting. But if you try to give me orders, you become a nuisance I can't ignore." Morgan growled, fixing Luffy with a dismissive glare, before turning to the marine that had accompanied them up. "There was a girl who wandered onto the execution grounds. Why haven't you killed her by now?" He asked, as the marine gulped heavily.

"I can't- She's only a girl sir!"

"You can't? Am I hearing you correctly?" he asked, advancing on the marine, lifting an arm that ended in an axe blade instead of a hand. "Are you not a Commander of the marines? Last I checked, a Captain outranked a commander."

"...Yes sir, that's true."

"In that case, you have no right to defy my orders. Go and kill her, now, before I lose patience."

"I... Can't."

"Traitor!" Morgan shouted, lifting the blade higher before bringing it down... upon thin air, the long protrusion of his elbow stopping in a grip as sure as iron, despite the rubbery give that diffused the energy of his blow. His eyes bulged as he stared at the lieutenant beneath him, who returned it with a cheeky grin.

"Ahh, sorry about that, you used the wrong hand to hit your commander. If you use this one... he'll die." Luffy pointed out, before his head rocked back from the fist that answered his explanation, and pitched upward and away.

"Lowly Lieutenant! You dare to defy me? You think I care that my mark isn't beneath that patch you wear? No matter who sent you, a Lieutenant cannot command a captain!" He roared; before paling as Luffy seized the only available thing to stop his flight off the tower; the statue of Morgan himself, the elastic tension actually lifting the huge mass of stone... before he landed on it with both feet, smacking it down and cracking it into a dozen pieces.

"...Your punch hurts less than my grandpa's." Luffy noted, before sticking his tongue out to drive the point home... before the head broke off the statue and he went plummeting downward anyway.

* * *

"Swords... swords... swords... oh how did I become mixed up in this?" Coby lamented as he frantically searched from room to room. "Oh right.. an insane marine and a very scary swordsman... I'm probably ruining my chances with the marines with this, but..." he thought back, remembering the fear of the restaurant patrons, the casual abuse of power of that snotty blond captain's son; the totalitarian punishments for people taking mercy on a tortured man... if this was the alternative, he hoped more marines were like Luffy.

He stopped finally at a more well appointed room; this should be the captain's quarters from the decor, but it was in the wrong place... no time to think, there were the swords! He thought, gathering them up into his arms and looking around, before noting the bed, stacked with silk sheets, and popping his knuckles before he worked his well practiced knot-tying; number four knots from the marine's fieldcraft handbook turning bedsheets into a serviceable rope, which he secured to a post and then began rapelling down the wall... just in time to look up in panic and hug tight to it as a giant stone head came falling down behind him and crashed into the ground, followed by a cry of rage.

"**Someone shoot that traitor, and the criminal, and the town!" **

* * *

Luffy rolled back from the shattered head, shaking stars from his eyes and looking up at Zoro; whose knees he'd ended up against in the tumble. "Ahh, hello again."

"So, your meeting didn't go well?" The swordsman asked wryly.

"Ahh, it's fine, I'm sure it'll all get sorted out eventually... you know I don't think Morgy-ossan is a very nice guy. You ought to think about getting out of here. I don't think he's gonna let you go."

A shouted command later, and marines filed out onto the execution grounds, aiming rifles, as Morgan hit the ground with murder in his eyes.

"Aim!" he shouted.

Zoro's jaw set. "No, it seems like not. If you've got a plan, start fast. I can't die here, not now!"

"Fire!"

Morgan's shout ended as Zoro's eyes widened; Luffy had thrown himself into the path of the musket volley. That he'd do it so casually-

"That won't work on-ME!" Luffy shouted, marines diving as their fire came right back at them. "So, instead of staying here, why not come with me?" he continued, as if nothing had happened.

Zoro stared at him; he'd never seen anything quite like that, but if this kid was willing to stick his neck out that far, he couldn't very well refuse. "Alright then; if it's you or death, I'll choose you." He agreed, seeing Luffy grin wide.

"Dammit. I should have known a devil fruit user couldn't be killed with bullets... but if muskets won't work, try cutlasses." Morgan ordered, his men shaking slightly as they moved to obey.

"Sorry Lieutenant!" One shouted as he drew and attacked in a rush of his fellows; but their blades met steel, not flesh, as they gasped at the sudden movement of the green haired swordsman; they hadn't even seen him free himself by the time he'd gotten there; a blade in either hand and one clenched in his mouth, three swords holding off twenty, as the pink haired miracle who'd thrown them sat panting back at the cross.

"You guys should probably go; otherwise I'll have to kill you all." Zoro said past the katana held in his mouth. "I doubt that guy would be happy with it, and it looks like I'm becoming his subordinate... Oh right, I have one condition." He said, turning his eyes back to Luffy as the marines cowered. "I have a dream that I have to accomplish. I want to become an invincible swordsman; the best sword on the ocean. So long as you'll help me to achieve that goal, I'm yours. But if you get in the way, I'll kill you." He warned amicably.

"The greatest sword on the sea huh? Sounds great to me! I've got my own dream, and without a man like that at my side I might not accomplish it. Now please, duck!" He shouted, Zoro's swords vanishing from the nest of steel just in time for a massive sweeping kick to drive the crowd of marines off their feet and sprawling across the execution grounds.

"There, now you don't have to worry about hurting anyone." Luffy said happily, as the marines cradled various injuries.

"Cowards! Weaklings! Whomsoever will not fight is commanded to commit suicide!" Morgan raved.

"Delay that!" Luffy shouted.

"Belay..." Coby suggested.

"Belay that!" Luffy confirmed.

The marines hesitated, torn between their fear of Morgan and their fear of Luffy, as the incensed Captain strode forward.

"You little low-ranked worm. You dare to countermand my orders to my own men? I'm going to execute you right here..."

"The kind of marine who tells his men to kill themselves is no marine at all. Without Justice, you're just a bully." Luffy retorted, fists on his hips as the wind blew through the dust.

"Bastard!" Morgan shouted, his axe hand whistling through the air over Luffy's head as the flexible lieutenant dodged past his heavy attacks, swing after enraged swing meeting only empty space as he attempted to make steel meet rubber; before with a ringing whiplash, a fist struck his axe on the side and snapped it off his hand, Luffy's arm snapping back into shape as Morgan drove a fist down at him; both hands vaulting him over it, and both feet slamming down onto the captain's back, driving him to the ground.

A silence descended over the execution ground as the fact of Morgan's loss slowly sunk into the marines... only for the click of a flintlock's hammer to punctuate it.

"S-Stop right there, or I'll kill this kid right now!" They heard a weedy voice say, eyes turning to find Helmeppo, an ornate pistol aimed at Coby's head.

"Luffy... it's fine, go ahead and stop him. I'm not afraid to die." He confirmed, an icy, resigned terror filling him.

"Hmm. Okay." Luffy agreed, Helmeppo and Coby's jaw dropping at his lack of hesitation, fist drawing back as Helmeppo's hand shook, and Morgan rose behind him, picking up the detached blade of his axe in his remaining hand and lifting it high.

In the same moment, Father and Son were taken off their feet; one by an elastic punch to the chin, even stronger than the one his father had given him, and the other to a flashing blade across his skull.

"Anyone who wants to follow Morgan's orders is free to do so." Zoro said, plucking his sword from his mouth and sliding it back into it's white sheath.

Instantly, a cheer went up from every marine, praising Luffy, Zoro, Coby, the marines, and Justice well done.

The fighting now finished, Zoro quietly collapsed.

* * *

This one took me some time to finish and some editing before I was done, largely over translation confusion with marine ranks, which already are a little bit hard to nail down, and also because I am not very good at action scenes; something I hope to rectify with practice.

According to canon, marines do not wear any symbol of their rank on their uniform; although higher ranking officers have different kinds of accoutrement to their uniforms, such as the greatcoat and their snappy suits. This, however, makes very little sense to me, and it makes people reacting to Luffy kind of hard to write for unless he is always blurting his rank out like Morgan. So it can be considered part of the AU that marine uniforms are slightly different, and each incorporates an insignia that specifies a marine's rank, specialization, and command/base/ship. Luffy's currently has no mark for his command, which is common with marines who are on special assignment (As Helmeppo assumed), or who in Luffy's case are being bounced between commanders for being impossible to manage.

Garp is immensely proud of his "Good" Grandson, and he expresses pride, as he does most emotions, via his fists.

Please review, it keeps me thinking.


	3. Chapter 3 Interim one

Authority is the sword of Justice; and the unjust may not wield it.

* * *

"Ahhhh... much better." Zoro opined as he relaxed back into his seat; nine days worth of food settling into his belly. So, less than half of what Luffy had eaten previously. Though the young lieutenant had insisted that they put the meal on the marine's tab; the restauranteur had quietly failed to do so. Telling your savior you wanted to give him a free meal might wound his marinelike honor, he'd reasoned.

"It's good that the restaurant still had food left; not eating that long would probably kill me." Luffy reasoned with a short laugh. "I hope Ripper-ossan manages to get things sorted out soon. This place isn't nearly as lively without Axeman."

Coby, despite the intensity of the last few hours, still managed to be worried. "Luffy... are you really sure about all this? Even though he was a traitor to the ideals of the marines, Morgan still outranked you; you struck a superior officer. You could be court martialed, or worse!" He said with a gulp.

"Ehh, I'm not worried about that kinda thing. If the court knows Justice like I do, they won't do anything bad. And if they don't and I get sent to Impel Down for a thousand years, then I'll just serve my sentence and get out!" He reasoned, as Coby's worry darkened; only worsening as the door opened, a bearded, scarred marine officer entering; Luffy flipping over the back of his chair onto his feet to snap a salute, albeit to the wrong side of the restaurant, until he bent backwards.

"Hiya Commander!" He greeted, as the hardworn officer gave him a politely befuddled stare.

"At ease Lieutenant. Take a seat, this will take some time." He advised, pulling up a chair to their table and laying a few files down as a waitress hurriedly removed dishes from the table. "Firstly, I'd like to personally thank you for what you've done for all of us here. And I want to apologize, for failing to administer justice when it was duly called for. I let rank and authority blind me almost as much as Morgan... because I was afraid. For myself, and my men, if I defied him. I just got off the den-den mushi with headquarters; I managed to convince them that you acted in defense of justice and the law, and that Morgan's tyranny constituted a breach of conduct. So thankfully, you don't need to worry about a court martial... just this." he said, pushing the papers over.

Luffy picked them up and let the file fall open in one hand, a few sheets sliding out as he peered over them blankly. "Aaahhh, what a drag. I guess I have to though..." he said glumly, a look of faint confusion coming over Ripper's face.

"What's the matter? You in trouble?" Zoro asked, picking his teeth idly with a steak knife.

"No. I got promoted again." Luffy said sourly, as Coby's eyes bulged.

"I believe some congratulations are in order, Major." The commander said, saluting casually, the marines behind him delivering far snappier gestures. "We're a bit busy at the moment, but we'll have your new sigil and coat ready shortly."

Luffy poked through the papers sourly and then picked another one up, pointing toward it. "What's this thing anyway?"

Ripper looked it over and nodded. "Ah. Part of your promotion apparently involved a transfer to a new branch. I gathered that the Admiralty was somewhat... frustrated, in their attempts to place you previously, so a novel solution was approached. This mark will go on your new sigil; it's a designation that you're part of the Inspector General's department under Vice Admiral Sengoku."

"Ehh? Seagull-sama's gonna be in charge?" He asked with a look of slight confusion, as Coby's eyes threatened to escape from his head; if Luffy was that familiar with the legendary Sengoku, just what was he doing here in east blue...

"That's... correct. This also contains your writ of command, with authority to investigate and prosecute all crimes of a maritime nature within and without the World Government Marines. You're also given authority to induct and command a crew and commandeer your own ship."

"Interesting." Zoro noted with a wry smile. "When you put it that way, he sounds more like a kind of official pirate; Maybe if you keep stirring up trouble they'll make you a shichibukai, eh Major?"

Luffy stuck his tongue out at the thought.

"It might seem that way, but this posting reflects a great deal of trust and authority. I hope you'll treat it with some respect... as well, despite that you can recruit your own crew, they still have to be vetted by the marines eventually. I understand you want Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro to join... in that case, there might be a good solution." Ripper said, withdrawing a sheet of paper from his uniform and placing it before the swordsman, who gave it a curious stare, looking the writing over. "This is an official contract from headquarters; if you sign it, it will place you under Luffy's command as a private mercenary. Normally I would prefer you be within the marines' command structure, but this is the fastest way to get things done, and I can vouch for your skills myself."

Zoro looked it over and smirked. "So, I'd become the Major's Yojimbo then. You're a hard sell Ripper, but I think I kind of like it." He said, flicking his wadou from it's sheath significantly, before slicing the tip of one finger and pressing it to the paper, drawing out a signature that looked exactly like you'd expect a man to write with a sword instead of a pen. The officer had the sense not to stare as he accepted it back.

"With that, you may consider yourself on leave for the next few days, Lieutenant." He said, standing up and saluting once more, before turning to leave.

"W-wait sir!" Coby said, shaking off his nerves and standing up as straight as he could, as Ripper turned back to him.

"I want... I want to join the marines sir!"

"And I want to recruit him!" Luffy piped up, gesturing with a long bone he'd been picking at.

"Yeah! and- wait, what?" Coby asked, dumbfounded.

"You're pretty useful, so I've decided I want to keep you." Luffy informed him, gnawing the bone furiously.

Ripper gave the short, slightly pudgy, pink haired boy a discerning look, and then shrugged. "It's within his authority, and I don't feel like contesting it. If you join him though, you'll still have to pass the marine aptitude exams and consent to obey his orders fully. You'd be promoted, punished, and even discharged entirely on his authority. Are you prepared for that?"

Coby swallowed; then when that failed to fully contain his nerves, he did it again, before speaking. "I'm... I'm ready sir! Anything my officers and my commander order, I shall obey!" He reported firmly.

Ripper gave him a nod, then clapped him on the shoulder. "Just never forget when it's right to disobey." He said gravely, before stepping out; as Luffy struggled to swallow an entire femur, sideways.

"Where did you pick this kid up from anyway?" Zoro asked curiously, wrapping his finger in a clean napkin.

"Ahh, I helped him when he landed on a ship... I hope that the marines don't look too hard into my history, you see for two years I was shanghaied onto this crew under this fat woman named Al... vi... da." he said, slowly going pale. "**We forgot about Alvida!"** he shouted, in sudden realization, as Luffy fell out of his seat and began to roll around, with Zoro scrambling to save the rubber man from death at the posthumous hooves of a cow.

* * *

Short chapter this week. It just sunk in just how much the whole Morgan chapter drained me; I don't think I'm gonna retread the series as much after that. Suffice to say that after this, if I skip any big chunks, you can assume they happened -largely- the same as canon.

Luffy's use of many varied suffixes on people's names is a great point of charm for his character, but my japanese isn't good enough to catch them all, so if I miss some, forgive me.

Sengoku has indeed already been transferred and replaced. I'll let you take a guess by whom...


End file.
